Untitled Sermon

Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father, younger men as brothers,

older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity.

What are the various groups we notice in church

age, familiarity, ethnicity, appearance, gender, friendliness/cliques, marital status

An older man him as you would a father

Do not rebuke

but encourage

younger men view as brothers

older women view as mothers

younger women view as sisters IN ALL PURITY

This is like a family. Do we see church as family? How do we view church? Do we grade church based on age or marital status? Singles church vs family church vs retirement church etc.

This doesn’t include children.

Older man means – 30s – age for authority. 40s – age for discernment. 50s – age for counsel. 60s – age for elder or someone who is older. 60-80 – final stages of life. No one was considered an older person until you were in your 60s.

Paul has tasked Timothy with correcting all the mistakes/sins in the church. They didn’t become elders overnight but has worked their way up to their positions. This is culturally ingrained.

(v1) Rebuke – chastise with words – chide, treat angrily.

When rebuking

- love

- humility

When there is sin in the family – it can destroy the family. Relationships break down. Confronting sin originates from love. We love our family and we love God’s people. If confronting sin doesn’t originate from love then it results in an angry rebuke.

Respect was not always earned but rather just given. Timothy was still to ‘give’ respect.

Prescriptive – command vs. Descriptive

Paul is prescriptive on how Timothy ought to conduct himself.

(v1) younger men as brothers. Timothy has reached an age of ‘authority’

In the church of Ephesus – younger men trying to be teachers of the law without proper study of the Word. They are to be treated as brothers by Timothy. Attitude of mutuality among peers. See your brother as peer – walking alongside you in your journey/walk with the Lord. Not to treat others as though you have superior knowledge etc. which stems from a heart of the pride.

Women – trying to exercise authority over men. Older women – mothers – were given great deal of respect culturally.

Younger women – in all purity. Emphasis on how one interacts with young single women.

There were young women in the church practicing immorality.

There were tendency in the church for younger women who has tendency to sin.

Protect the purity of the younger women as you would protect the purity of your own sister

1. avoid the look – for men

2. avoid flattery – for women

3. avoid the thoughts

4. avoid rendezvous

5. avoid the house

6. avoid the touch

Rebuking - merciful, corrective, redemptive ministry